SORRY, DAUGHTER Poem by Mark van Tongele

For the time I put your pretty little pants-suit on back to front
for the times I tucked you in with your Winnie the Pooh duvet upside down
for the time I let that devilish dummy steriliser boil dry, mamma mia
for the time I sent you to school with an empty Little Mermaid lunchbox
for the times I forgot to plug in the night light on the landing
for the time I told you off for a D for tables
for the time silly, silly Daddy knocked over the Lego tower you'd been working on for days
for the times I, seriously preoccupied with myself, didn't come and play
for the times I dished up an ultimatum when you wouldn't eat your spinach
for the times on holiday when I insisted on a museum and you wanted a swimming pool
for the time I left your paper-flower shop on the beach unattended
for the times in the burning sun when I wanted to reach the mountain top no matter what
for the time I pulled your favourite shirt out of the washing machine two sizes smaller
for the time you followed my cooking advice, with disastrous consequences
for the times I put a premature curfew on your night-time escapades
for the times I grumbled because you were associating with the wrong friends
for the times I predicted trouble every time you rode your bike into town
for the times I subjected you to pompous insights on life, always actually
for not saying these words to you among family on Christmas Eve but
in a poem, daughter, if it's good company you're after steer well clear of poets.